The Israeli military has said it has received the hostage Agam Berger and that she is back in Israel. The year-old female soldier is one of three Israelis who was expected to be freed today, including an 80 year old man. Two more hostages - Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses - are also supposed to be released imminently.
Israel was expected to release another Palestinian prisoners, in the third such exchange since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas, whose October 7 attack into Israel sparked the fighting. It has held despite a dispute earlier this week over the sequence in which the hostages were released.
Hamas handed female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, to the Red Cross at a ceremony in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. The Israeli government later confirmed that Ms Berger was with its forces. Hamas had set up two locations for the release, one in Jabaliya and the other in the southern city of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Red Cross vehicles arrived at Jabaliya, where hundreds of masked militants and onlookers had gathered.
The Israelis set to be released are: Arbel Yehoud, 29; Berger, 20 - who was abducted along with four other female soldiers who were freed Saturday; and Gadi Moses, an year-old man. There was no official confirmation of the identities of the Thai nationals who will be released.
A number of foreign workers were taken captive along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamas' attack. Twenty-three Thais were among more than hostages released during a week-long ceasefire in November Israel says eight Thais remain in captivity, two of whom are believed to be dead. Of the people set to be released from prisons in Israel, 30 are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.
